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United States Patent | 6,042,141 |
Welch ,   et al. | March 28, 2000 |
A restraint assembly includes an inflator for generating inflation gas and a restraint cushion including an inflatable transfer portion in fluid communication with the inflator for initial inflation by the inflation gas. The cushion further includes an inflatable bladder portion in fluid communication with the transfer portion for extended inflation by transfer of inflation gas from the transfer portion into the bladder portion. The bladder portion has a fully inflated condition in which the bladder portion is filled with inflation gas from the transfer portion and in which the bladder portion engages the transfer portion to limit the amount of gas further transferred into the bladder portion and to seal the bladder portion such that inflation gas is held in the bladder portion for lengthened and extended inflation of the bladder portion even after deflation of the transfer portion for extended coverage of a preselected vehicle location.
Inventors: | Welch; Jeffrey Allen (St Clair Shores, MI); Zimmerbeutel; Bernd Uwe (Remscheid, DE); DeSaele; Kenneth Henry (Armada, MI) |
Assignee: | General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI) |
Appl. No.: | 918833 |
Filed: | August 26, 1997 |
Current U.S. Class: | 280/729; 280/730.2; 280/743.1 |
Intern'l Class: | B60R 021/24 |
Field of Search: | 280/729,730.2,730.1,743.1,743.2,749 |
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Foreign Patent Documents | |||
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